Did I meet a new friend today? As a matter of fact it think I did. I even called him friend. He saved my butt.
I have been having problems with my truck starting. Supposedly it’s the heating plate? It’s a dodge diesel. Fantastic truck. I got it a few years ago when my last one caught fire. It needed a lot of TLC. New tires, windshield, breaks, the fuel tank had to be dropped and the fuel reader thingy replaced (I will NOT drive a vehicle that the fuel gauge doesn’t tell the truth), the paint is seriously peeling, the dash is cracked… but after all it is a working ranch truck, office, supply ship for both human and animal creatures that inhabit this farm/ranch. I have the part, it’s in the truck. But DH is so busy at work 6 days a week and on Sunday he has the heavy lifting of the farm to catch up with.
I needed to go to town today. I wanted to be able to cook for DH this weekend he has both Sunday and Monday (Martin Luther King, holiday) off. Last weekend he was a grump. He was tired of sandwiches. I don’t blame him. I can live happily on Pearl Drops (Jersey cow milk) but DH wanted something more substantially MAN, MEAT. Ok, ok, ok, yes, we raise beef. But quite frankly, if we eat it all, we cannot pay the farm bills, the beef must be sold to raise more. This isn’t a one time thing.
So, I had plugged the heating block in on Thursday and it seemed that the truck was really liking being warm (don’t we all). Every time I asked, it started. Ok, let’s go to town, your happy and starting well. I ran my first errand and the little shop that I do business with had a new employee. I had seen this young man around town and at a fundraiser for a friend of DH’s. This was the first introduction however. When my business was concluded and I went to start my ‘happy’ truck… it wouldn’t start! Ok, get out the (wince) starting fluid, open it’s yup (yes, I said yup), air filter, give it a shot and go start it (wince again). I hate doing this… ok, turn the key, it started. He was watching and interacting while I did this. He also has a diesel, much newer, but I do like the older ones. I said my goodbyes, again.
I got all my other errands done without any problems from the truck. At my next to last stop (the last being one that I could just leave it run while I dropped a farm product to some one to try) it wouldn’t start. Even with starting fluid. I didn’t want to stress my batteries, they are only a year old and they were wearing thin (power) trying to turn it over. DH is at work until 10:30 pm. Pearl has to be milked about 9 ish. Farm chores await, groceries loaded in the cab… you get the idea. Who to call… its 3:45. Yes I have AAA but the last time I called them they waited 45 minutes to come and something really bad happened in that time. I just need a jump to another strong engine so I don’t ruin my batteries. I called the young gentlemen at my first stop and asked nicely if when one of them got off if they would come give me a hand (really a jump start). They would. And he did. Again thank you.
I have kept to myself for so long, I seem to have forgotten that there really some good people left out there.
Stablefood 